READING are set to step up their bid to land Gary Hooper by launching a £5million raid.

Royals boss Nigel Adkins is desperate to be reunited with the Celtic hitman who played for him at Scunthorpe before moving to Glasgow in a £2.4m deal three years ago.

Hooper has long been on a Reading target list, but they are poised to prove their intentions with a bid and the lure of superb personal terms to tempt the striker to the English Championship.

Hull have privately refuted claims that Celtic kicked out a £4m offer this week.

However, the concrete Premier League enquiry and other interest in the top flight will push Reading into action.

Adkins is ready to splash the cash this summer in a bid to take the club straight back up to the top flight.

Reports in Berkshire last night insisted that Hooper had met with representatives of the Madejski Stadium club but although those remained unconfirmed, the interest has been ramped up in the last 48 hours.

Royals’ billionaire Russian owner Anton Zingarevich has promised Adkins massive funds to spark the promotion bid and is promising as many as seven new arrivals.

With 11 players released last week to free up a massive chunk of cash from the wage bill, Record Sport also understands that Reading’s top earner Pavel Pogrebnyak has a Premiership release clause in his deal.

That will allow the Russia international to move this summer and free up another £50,000 per week.

Rebuilding has begun with former England star Wayne Bridge snapped up from Manchester City on a one-year deal and Hooper is among a group of players bang in the eyeline of Adkins.

The Celtic striker still has a contract offer on the table at Parkhead and manager Neil Lennon wants to keep his prized asset.

However, with just a year left on his contract, a mighty offer for Hooper, who scored 31 goals last season in all competitions for Celtic, could force the club’s hand.